Here is a list of albums from vital artists who are supposed to gift us with new music this year; we know more about some than about others, but all of them are making us very optimistic for the future.

Presenting our favorite songs of the year: from the chaos of Perfect Pussy to the smoothness of Rhye, from Los Angeles' Haim to New York's Vampire Weekend, from Disclosure's modern house to Daft Punk's disco symphonies, and more.

A decade into his rap career, the excitable Virginia MC talks to Ryan Dombal about his upcoming debut solo LP, working with Kanye West, the controversy behind G.O.O.D. Music's "I Don't Like" remix, and the uncertain future of Clipse.